Global Warming: Part Four: Four out of Five Scientist
by Gillen1962
Summary: Sunday Night in Port Charles: Hajar and Harry are watched carefully by Ethan and Annie. Sam, Connor, Maxie and Michael arrive at Happy Valley Sonny's motives begin to be revealed. What is he thinking pushing Jason away. Meanwhile Monica tells Rovena about Fatima/Sage, and Rovena asks Monica the question that General Hospital fans have wondered about for twenty-five years.


_Global Warming: Part Four: Four out of Five Scientist_

"Did anyone bring the Graham Crackers for Smores?' Connor Olivera asked as he feed another log into the large campfire he and Michael Quartermaine had gotten up and running while Sam McCall and Maxie Jones had settled their gear in the tents.

"Hey this is a Business Trip" Said Sam Laughing "Not a boy scout Jamboree"

"Do we look like we were boy scouts?" Connor asked.

"Michael was." Said Sam with a smile.

"I was not." Said Michael. "I never made it past Webelos"

"Webelos wobble but they don't fall down" Sang Maxie.

"Those are Weebles" Connor said laughing.

"Either way, Webelo, Boy Scout, Michael is as close as we have." Said Sam.

Michael Blushed. He never liked being the center of attention. It came from growing up in Sonny's world where keeping a low profile was at times the difference between life and death. Real Childhood trauma, like being kidnapped by his real father AJ or shot in the head by one of Sonny's many rival gang bosses had added to the inclination.

He smiled to himself, while he did not like being the center of attention, he was very thankful to have friends. His had been a lonely life. He had always been loved, Carly, Jason, AJ, Sonny, Monica and so many others had always loved him. He could not recall a moment when he did not feel loved. But he had never had friends.

From child of a mob boss, to coma boy, to a young inmate to the youngest CEO of a fortune 500 company in the nation, and the least experienced as Forbes Magazine always added, he had never had the time to make friends. He and Harrison Chase were friends he thought, but theirs was a friendship born of a mutual need to bring Nel to justice or to protect Willow. These people, all far older than he, were becoming actual friends. And Michael liked the feeling.

They were he realized an odd assortment. Connor, the son of Sean Donnelly was nearly two decades older than Michael, Sam had been his de facto Aunt for decades and Maxie had once been his babysitter. But none of them treated him like a child, like Carly and Sonny often did, or as a breakable vase like Jason and Monica, or a boss like Ned and Curtis: To them he was just Michael and he liked it.

He walked over to his knapsack and reach towards the bottom, and pulled out a bag of marshmallow, and a box of Graham Crackers. He tossed them over to Maxie and said. "I assume you have chocolate?"

Maxie laughed. "Oh, you know I have chocolate."

Maxie smiled. She knew somewhere inside of her she should be feeling guilt over the little tingles that she now got whenever she was with Michael. She was in a committed relationship with Peter. She loved Peter. He loved her. But Maxie could not help but feel the drift in their relationship. Maybe they had jumped too fast after Nathan, his brother and her husband had been killed. Maybe what held them together was not romance but family. Maybe they just simply had very little in common. Whatever the reason Maxie found herself enjoying work, enjoying her child, enjoying her family and enjoying her time with friends, far more than she enjoyed her time with Peter. And worse she knew that he felt the same way.

And then of course there was Michael. As she always did Maxie chased that thought from her head. He was the son of her business partner. Carly's head would explode and then she would set off a nuclear chain reaction if she thought for one moment that Maxie, a mother of two, and ten years older than Michael was somehow interested in her 'little boy." Still has Michael threw a large piece of lumber on the fire and stood in the light of the blaze, his face framed by the glow Maxie could not help where her mind wandered.

Sam McCall saw the look on Maxie's face and had to grin. She kind of liked the idea of Maxie and Michael. She had watched Michael grow up, been his Aunt for a long while, and had always at least tried to be his friend. She was proud of the man he had grown into. AJ, Sonny and even Jason had not been she had to admit the most spectacular of male role models. But Michael was a genuinely decent and good man. Who had been horribly unlucky in love. Maybe if he and Maxie did hook up that would change.

Sam glanced over at Connor and thought about her own love life. She was far from in love with Connor Olivera, but she was enjoying spending time with him. Her whole life had been plagued by a darkness when it came to men, from those men she scammed for money to Sonny and the death of their daughter to the constant danger of Jason and his lifestyle. There was always a darkness. Even good men, like Patrick had been tinged with darkness, in his case because of the perceived loss of his wife. Drew had, when he thought he was Jason, tried to help her and himself establish some normalcy some type of relationship that was not dark. But the memories that he held of Jason had doomed that attempt, and by the time they were turning a corner the real Jason had returned and Sam had allowed herself to be sucked once more into the dark.

Now, here in the dark forest looking up ward to a deep black sky sprinkled with stars, she felt the light. Not that she would ever run from danger or shy away from conflict and not that there was not seriousness in the job she was trying to do for her Aunt, but if she had been camping with Jason, there would have been a feeling of heaviness, his inability to allow himself to enjoy himself dragging her down no matter how much she attempted to cheer up the situation. Here her friends were making smores and Connor had brought a guitar, campfire songs would soon begin, and Sam would sing and laugh and feel good.

Connor Olivera looked over at Sam McCall and smiled. He liked her far more than he had intended to. Most of his life he had left relationships the same way as he left the many places he had lived, with great memories and little regret. He did not think that this would be the case with Sam McCall or with Port Charles. He had spoken to his father a few hours before and the old man had mockingly warned him that Port Charles had a way of getting under the skin. Sean Donnelly had pointed out that such undomesticated men as himself, Robert Scorpio, Ethan Lovett and Luke Spencer had all time and time again returned to Port Charles, spending far more time in the small western New York city then it the great capitals of the world like London or Paris. There was something here. And Connor was beginning to feel it in his blood. He wondered if he should run before it was too late; Then Sam came over and handed him a Smore. Running he thought would have to wait.

Thirty-Five Feet beneath the campers a man dressed in hospital scrubs watched a series of TV Screens. One screen in particular showed the campers

Annie Donnelly leaned against the bar at Luke Club at the Haunted Star and sipped her Ginger and Ginger, a mix of Ginger Ale and Ginger Beer that a Rastafarian Gun Runner in St. Kitt's had introduced her to. He had introduced her to several other things as well she mused with a smile.

She listened to the music play in the background and continually scanned the crowd while keeping a watchful eye on Hajar Garshallah and her date Harry Parker. Her friend Ethan Lovett, the owner of the club came over and said. "Could you possibly get the scowl off your face, you are scaring the rubes."

Annie laughed. "If I'm frightening the rubes then what do you think Paris Hilton and her date Harry Pothead are doing?'

"Having dinner, spending money. Something you are not doing."

Annie grinned. "I never pay in this joint, I've slept with the owner."

"Technically Lulu owns the boat." Ethan said.

Annie mused. "Your sister is kind of cute in a Desperate Housewives meets Degrassi kind of way."

Ethan let that spin around his head for a moment then said. "Anything I say just sounds far to perverted."

They both laughed. Then Ethan said. "So how did you get stuck with Hajar sitting?"

"She is still technically on the Ice Princess project, though she says that it is impossible to recreate."

"You don't believe her?"

"Doesn't matter what I believe, Anna and Soumia think she is wrong."

Ethan took a sip of his drink and said. "With respect to the Senior Spy and my far smarter than me soon to be sister-in-law but Hajar is a chemist, one of the best in the world, they are not."

"And therein lies the rub"

"Who is the guy?" Ethan asked. "He has a familiar look. Kind of like an older Sinclair."

"Yeah" Said Annie wrinkling her nose. "He does have the weak chin that runs in your family."

"My chin is not weak. Nor is his"

"Keep telling yourself that Boyo. His name is Harry Parker, comes up all but dead on a WSB check, comes from Toronto down this way on business he says. No criminal record. Seems to be what he says he is."

"Well if he is what he says he is he can't be related to me." Ethan said. "He does look like Sinclair though. Where did she meet him?"

"Kelly's this morning, she was jogging with Lucky and Soumia."

"So, this is just Hajar being annoying" Ethan said.

"As always" Snapped Annie.

"I should go and say hi, I have not seen her since Carthage last summer."

"What were you doing in Carthage last summer?" Annie asked.

"Hajar" Ethan said smiling as he walked away.

Monica Quartermaine smiled as she walked into Luke's. She had not spent a lot of time at the original Luke's, but she was familiar enough with it to know that Ethan had recreated the hallmark club that his father had run for so many years. She had suggested the Metro Court for her meeting, but this was closer to work for her dinner date. Monica admired how she did not wish to be too far from her place during the dinner rush, even on a slow Sunday Night.

As the Captain showed her to a table Monica glanced at the bar at the recreated painting of Helena Cassadine that had hung over the original bar and for a moment in her mind's eye, she saw Mike Corbin behind the bar serving drinks. She wondered how that dear man was doing. She made a mental note to call the nursing home and checkup on him. She was his cardiologist of record, after all. She thought how sad Alzheimer was to steal your memories one by one. She and Mike had never been close, but they shared Michael as a grandchild, and while she often resented how Sonny stole Michael from A.J. She never once begrudged the love that Corbin had always shown their grandchild.

She had just settled into her seat and was sipping a club soda with lime when Rovena Krasniqi walked into the club. Monica saw her before she saw Monica. And for the first time since she first met the girl several months ago, she sat back and took a good look. She was slightly taller than Sam and more zaftig, then Courtney. More Monica thought like Robin in build. Not plump but what they use to say in her day "some meat on her bones" or "childbearing hips". God Monica thought to herself we were crude. The girl had curly brown hair that reached her shoulders and the oddest and most beautiful purple eyes that Monica had ever seen. Dr. Quartermaine knew that unless there was albinism present, which there clearly was not in this case, fewer than six hundred people had been recorded with purple eyes. The most famous of course was the actress Elizabeth Taylor, who Monica mused bore a resemblance to a young Helena Cassadine.

If her personality was anything like her eyes, then Jason had caught a rare girl indeed. Monica waved her hand and got the young woman's attention. Rovena, in black slacks and white blouse with a red jacket over it came over and said, "Hello Dr. Quartermaine, how are you?"

Monica half stood and shook the girl's hand. "Please sit, thank you for much joining me. And please call me Monica."

Rovena smiled. "I'm from Albania and the Bronx, Ma'am, I would never call my Boyfriend's mother by her first name. It's rude."

"Your boyfriend calls me by my first name" Monica said with a smile tinged with sadness.

"Please I correct him all the time about that."

"Oh. I like you all ready." Monica said grinning.

Annie ordered another Ginger and Ginger and the Charcuterie platter. She watched Hajar and Ethan speak animatedly and was more than a little annoyed. She shared Lucky's opinion of the Chemist not Soumia and Ethan's. She was about to get up and go over and say something when she saw Terry Randolph enter the club.

Her friend was dressed to the nine's in a tight little black dress. Annie motioned her over. "Toons! I didn't know you were going to be here, my night just got so much better, come over here and drink with me"

Terry smiled at her friend and gave her a kiss. "Well I hate to disappoint anyone as sexy as you, but I have date."

"A date?" Annie said smiling. "Like a date date? Like 'Gee Mr. Randolph can I take your daughter to prom?"

Terry smirked outwardly inside she cringed a little. If some boy had come asking to take Douglas Randolph's daughter to the prom, her father would have slammed the door in his face yelling that he had no daughter only two sons.

She smiled at her friend and said. "Yes, wise ass a date date."

Annie grinned from ear to ear. "He or she?"

"He"

"I bet he is a hot hunk, maybe a young intern, oh, did you steal Pop Tarts boy toy?"

Terry laughed. "No, I did not."

"So then give, who?" Annie said.

Terry nodded to the doorway, where Jaspar Jacks had just entered the Club. "That is him right there."

"JAX!" Said Annie. "You got a date with the Crocodile Hunter? CRIKEY MATE!"

Carly fumed as she put the car in park and headed into Luke's. Her fight an hour ago with Sonny had not been pleasant.

Sonny had overheard Rovena's comment to Carly about emotionally cucking him with Jason and had lashed out at her for it.

"The girl has a point" Sonny said. "Why do you need to drag Jason into the middle of everything in our lives."

"I do not drag him. He is our friend, your partner."

"Yes." Sonny said shaking his head. "He is, but you over play that hand. You get in trouble who do you call? Me? No, you call Jason. You need advice do you come to your husband? No, you call Jason."

"Sonny stop that is not true." Carly had replied.

"But it is? Every time you are in trouble, every time you are in danger it is Jason who saves you."

"So, you are going to stand there and tell me you are jealous because someone else saved my life?"

Sonny shook his head. "You are to stop calling Jason for every little thing."

"Excuse me?"

Sonny took a deep breath. "Stop calling Jason for every little thing and stop trying to drag him back into this. I have decided that I want Jason's hands clean from now on. The past is what it is, but going forward, Jason only handles kosher stuff for us. I made a small mistake a few weeks ago that I am going to speak to him and correct. I don't want him involved in anything dangerous, in anything that may be even remotely illegal."

"Are you insane."

Sonny grinned wickedly and stepped right into Carly's face. "Yes. I am. I even have the paperwork to show it. Leave Jason out of this going forward."

Carly had flipped her hand and said. "You do not get to tell me what I should do with my best friend."

Sonny grinned again, even Carly could see the evil rise up. "Yes. I. Can." He said flatly.

She shook her head. "I'm going to go out and give you time to think about what you are saying."

"It will give you time to understand that you are going to obey me in this Carly. I am not playing this game anymore."

She had stormed out.

She thought of going to her Mother's but she and Jax and promised Bobbie a grandma's night with Joss and Carly did not feel right interrupting that. There was always the Metro Court but Jax could be there and she did not feel like seeing him tonight. Jason may be at Jake's and certainly that horrid Rovena would be at Kelly's.

She rarely went to Charlie's she just could not warm up to Julian or any of the Jerome's. So, her choices had narrowed down to Luke's. Her cousin Ethan would give her doubles and she could listen to music and calm down before she went back to Sonny and said things that both of them would regret.

And the chances of her running into any one she did not want to see at Luke's were slim.

Sonny Corinthos had been sitting alone in his living room for nearly an hour. Ever since Carly had stormed out.

The Specter's of Karen Wexler, Emily Quartermaine, Claudia Zaccahria and his late wife Lilly roamed freely around the living room as Sonny sat empty minded and brooding.

Finally, Stone appeared. He went over and took Lilly's hand. Sonny watched the unspoken communication between the ghosts of his mind and waited.

"Sonny?" Lilly said softly. "What are you doing?"

Sonny smiled at her.

For a musician Lucky's ability to find a rhythm as he led, he and Soumia in prayer was about as good as a middle age white male with no alcohol dancing salsa. He finished the prayers and still kneeling on the prayer mat looked shyly at his fiancé.

She smiled softly. "You know you do not have to do this."

"Yes, I do. "

Soumia touched his hand. "Lucky, you do not have to take your shahada, in order to marry me. "

"Islam is important to you." He said softly.

"But is it important to you?" She asked.

Lucky shrugged. "My Father is a a near total atheist, Luke Spencer does not believe in any power higher than his own will. My Mother was raised Presbyterian but other than weddings and funerals we never really dealt with religion. "

That is not at all what I asked you Soumia thought to herself, but she leaned into him and they sat on the floor and Lucky scooted till his back was leaning against the wall and let him talk.

"When Siobhan was killed, I tried to find comfort in her Catholic faith" Lucky said.

"Catholics talk to rocks?" Soumia said with a smile.

"No one is ever letting that go, are they?" Lucky said smiling. "No Catholics do not talk to rocks. But truthfully in all my searches for God, the rocks were just as good as they next thing. You talk, you pretend they listen, and they never answer. Gods, rocks, not much difference."

"Ah but Allah does answer, you just have to hear." Soumia said.

"An answer I have heard before from people of faith" Lucky said softly.

"You know the Al-Fayheed's are very old as a family. We can trace our line right to the time of the Prophet, blessed be his name."

Lucky nodded. "I know, even an encounter with the Cassadines that pre-dates the Spencers."

"Yes." Said Soumia. "But by the time my brother and I were born, my father's branch of the family had fallen on hard times. We were servants in the Garshallah house. "

Lucky nodded. And Soumia went on. "Here we were a family of devote Muslims, true to the words of the Qur'an and we were reduced to servants into the home of a family, who while kind to me, used Islam as a club for social status, rarely for faith."

Lucky laughed. "You mean to tell me that Hajar is not a good Muslim"

Soumia grinned. "I do not judge anyone; you know that and I only gossip with you but you should ask Ethan if she is a good Muslim girl"

"Ethan?" Lucky said, "Really so he gets to hit a Tunisian before me?"

"You and all men are pigs" Soumia said laughing.

Then she said more softly "Any way I asked my Father one day, why we were not blessed by Allah like the Garshallah family. And he told me that Allah makes the rain fall on both the just and the unjust and blesses who he will. Our relationship with God, is not about what can God do for me, but what can I do as his unworthy servant."

"Did that help you with your faith?" Lucky asked.

"Not at all, I was ten I thought it was a crock. I thought that for a long time and then I saw the sadness that is always behind Hajar's eyes, how much of her life is appearance and what others think and the strain she is always under to live up to her family name and I began to wonder if the burden of that, not the blessing of money was really what Allah had decreed for her."

Lucky nodded. He was not sure what this had to do with his conversion to Islam. Soumia noticed that. "What I am saying Lucky, is that I would be pleased if you were to become a Muslim. But I would be more pleased if you could have a relationship with Allah."

"Can one lead to the others?" Lucky asked.

Before she could answer the doorbell rang. "Clearly Allah wants us to wait till another time to discuss that." Soumia said as the couple got up off the floor and walked to the door.

Lucky looked though the peep hole and scrunched his face. He opened it and Ava Jerome stood there. "I'm sorry to come so late" She said. "Did Robert get here yet?"

Lucky looked. "No, but please come in."

"Is Robert on his way over here?" Soumia asked pulling the cowl of her hoodie up.

"Yes, He and Anna stopped to video conference Frisco Jones and then were to meet me here."

"Frisco?" Lucky said raising an eyebrow.

"Well Maxie is his daughter." Ava said as she walked into the living room.

Soumia held Lucky's elbow as he said. "Hold on, Maxie is in trouble? Where. What is going on here Ava."

Anna and Robert appeared in the open door and Anna said. "Calm down Agent Spencer, she is safe."

Lucky turned. Maxie Jones was one of his oldest friends, at one low point in both their lives they had been more than friends, and while they had helped each other spiral downward they had also always lifted each other up. Lucky would be there whenever Maxie needed him without question.

He looked hard at Anna who smiled knowing their history. "Lucky, she is our Goddaughter if the danger were immediate Robert and I would not have stopped here."

Lucky took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay. Fill us in."

Liesel Orbrect sat at a small table in a corner of Luke's Club. She had snuck out of her semi-house arrest at the mayor's mansion. And then covered her bases by speaking with Annie Donnelly who was perched at the bar when she came in. She had insured the young agent that she meant no harm and just wanted to listen to some music and would return forthwith to her exile.

Donnelly had shaken her head and said. "Go ahead Maleficent enjoy, but if I have to chase after you, if I see you talking to any Cassadine or Cassadine crony or for that matter nearly anyone else and I wills hoot you myself."

Liesel made her second mental note to find out who Maleficent was.

She was almost always here on a Sunday. Sunday was billed as Traditional Jazz Night, which of course was code for oldies night. Liesel loved this older more mellow jazz, Armstrong, Parker and of course the Velvet Frog Mel Torme. So, she came, once or twice with Nina, even once with the delightful Molly, who Liesel knew she must cultivate a relationship with. Valentin may not see it yet, but Orbrect was well aware that Molly Cassadine Lansing would be the head of the Cassadine family and Molly would be the one who insured Liesel a comfortable retirement or an early departure.

Tonight she was alone. Sipping a very nice schnapps and enjoying the music. She was also intently watching the club owner Ethan Lovett as he stood at a table speaking with the Chemist Hajar Garshallah, who she recognized from the file that Alexandria had on her, and whose work was praiseworthy, and Harry Dunbar.

Despite the familial resemblance Ethan did not seem to recognize Dunbar, who is he were with the Chemist was far out of his league. Liesel was well aware that the Dunbar family was large. And she wondered if Holly's son had ever even met his cousin. She concluded that in the end it was none of her business.

Liesel was lost in the music when suddenly the seat in front of her was filled by Brooke Bentley.

"I need to speak to you." She said.

"So, you thought that sneaking out behind me and following me into a club filled with more American Spies than a bar in Casablanca owned by a man named Rick was the way to do it?" Obrect said downing her drink.

Bentley ignored her. "Hutch is in trouble."

"Your Mr. Hutchinson has advanced lung cancer and suffered a stroke, the fact that he is even in remission is a miracle, so dear Ms. Bentley, he is surely in trouble."

"Not health. Grant Putman"

Obrect sighed. She listened for a moment to the music, then huffed, her evening was now twice ruined. First Bentley and now some poor version of Torme's sublime Christmas Song.

Harry Dunbar was uneasy over the way his cousin Ethan kept looking at him. They had never met, and the Dunbar's were not a family for family photos so he was sure that Ethan had never seen him. Still the man kept looking.

Finally, he said. "You look a bit like a cousin of mine."

"Oh" Said Harry smiling.

Hajar looked. "Not that awful one you hit with the polo mallet in Dubai last summer?"

Ethan laughed. "No, he was not my cousin, more Lucky's uncle, though they have never met as far as I know."

"He was a rude twit." Hajar said.

"Well then I can assure you he was not a Parker" Harry said hoping to end this conversation.

"So what business are you in Mr. Parker?" Ethan asked.

"Pharmaceuticals. I worked for Roxon for a while, now maybe hoping to get an interview with ELQ."

Ethan nodded. "Good luck with that."

Hajar looked at him and said. "Don't you know people at ELQ? Maybe you could reach out."

"Now, Now Hajar, you can't expect Ethan to reach out for someone he does not even know." Harry said smiling.

"But Ethan knows me." Hajar said sharply. "Well!"

Ethan shook his head. "Tell you what a lot of folks from ELQ come in often, if one wanders in, I will make an introduction after that it is up to you."

"Sounds fair." Harry said. "Thanks"

"Sounds like you can do more" said Hajar. "I will settle for a bottle of your best wine, to bridge the gap"

Ethan smiled bowed and little and walked over to the bear. He motioned the bar tender over and said. "You know those bottles of Mad Dog the dish washers keep in the kitchen under the cabinet?"

"The ones you are not supposed to know about boss?'

"Yep, send one over to that young lady's table."

"MD?"

"Yep"

Ethan walked away whistling.

"Are you a big fan of the Blues?" Jax asked as the waiter brought over his and Terry's appetizers.

"This is actually old school Jazz, listen the track that is playing now is going to melt into some Ella in just about a minute."

Jax's eyes twinkled. "So, the Blues club plays jazz?"

"There is a lot of cross over something you already knew Jax. Your small talk game is off."

He laughed out loud. "I admit to being a little rusty."

"Truth, I knew none of this stuff until I began hanging out here with Ethan and Annie."

"That makes me feel better, musically I am inept." Jax admitted.

"Wait" said Terry "Back in the day didn't you own part of L&B records?'

"That was a business investment, not a musical one. Lois is the one with the music background, she handled the talent. Still does. She and Ned still own L&B."

"It's part of ELQ?" Terry asked.

"No, separate, think of it as a vanity project for Ned." Jax said.

"My vanity projects are pedicures, not companies" said Terry with a laugh.

"I am sure that is a well spent project"

"Ah a foot man" Terry quipped

"I work my way up." Jax said grinning.

"Why Mr. Jacks!"

The large Greek Salad that Monica and Rovena had decided to split as an appetizer looked better than it tasted. Monica saw Rovena's nose wrinkle as she ate a piece of the feta cheese.

"Not as good as Kelly's?" Monica said.

"The chef is getting fresh Feta but then keeping it too wet, this is soggy, there is a balance." Rovena said softly. "Not that it's bad. Just not good."

Monica laughed. "Oh, I like you, you speak your mind. Jason is not use to that."

"Really" said Rovena "Sam seems so tough."

"Sam is a lovely woman, and a good mother to my grandchildren, but she too often just goes along with whatever Jason and of course Corinthos decide to do."

"You do not approve of Sonny" Rovena said as a statement.

Monica looked away. She had not had this conversation in many years. Like so many people who love Jason she had sold her soul to his connection with Sonny in order to maintain her own relationship with him. She had learned to tolerate Sonny the same way she had learned to tolerate the friends in High School that Jason, Emily and AJ had made and who she found less then suitable. She smiled to herself to remember that in those days she thought Lucky an unsuitable friend for Emily, so clearly, she could be proven wrong. In Sonny's case however he was and always will be unsuitable.

But she had not spoken this out loud in years. Her voice came out hoarse almost as if her mind was rebelling against saying what her heart had always thought. "No, I do not approve of Sonny, he has been a plague on my family. Not just Jason, but Emily and of course AJ who he murdered."

Rovena took a sip of wine and nodded. "I could stay with Jason for a thousand years and never understand why he and Michael can ignore that. I understand forgiveness, forgiveness is good for the person doing the forgiving but in Albania there would be a blood debt forever if you murdered my brother."

Monica wanted to hug her. Instead she said, "Michael was raised as Sonny's son, it is a hard place for him."

"It would not be for me. Anyone that lays a hand on my father will find their heart cut out and watch it beat on a dinner plate while they die."

Monica nodded. "I am so glad I ordered my steak well done."

Rovena blushed. "Sorry."

"Don't be."

"And Jason? Why is he so forgiving?" Rovena asked "I never asked Jason, but have they been lovers?'

Monica spit her wine out. "Oh GOD NO."

Rovena blushed again. "Sorry, again, but I mean, the amount of crap that Jason has put up with from Sonny reminds me of the girls I knew back in the Bronx who were in abusive relationships. You know the ones who come crying to you because their man hit them but then go running back to him because 'he loves them'"

Monica nodded. "Except Jason does not come crying, he simply absorbs it all and goes on."

"Which cannot be healthy."

"No" said Monica. The two women stopped speaking for a moment as their main course, Steak and a baked potato with a side of asparagus for Monica and grilled Tuna with rice for Rovena, arrived. The club had edible but pedestrian food. People came here for drinks and music. Fine dining was for the Metro Court. Pub Grub at the Rib and Charlies and family fare at Kelly's.

The women took a bite of their food then Monica spoke again. "I asked you to meet me so we could get to know each other better, the changes in Jason since he met you are noticeable. And good."

"A man changes himself. All I am doing is encouraging. "She said with a shrug. "Well maybe sometimes I ask him the questions that folk have avoided asking. The goal is to make him think about his choices. And of course, for he and I to work, to always speak the truth. I am never going to not speak the truth to him, even if it means losing him."

"He will respect that more than you know." Monica answered her. Monica paused and made a decision.

"As I said I asked you to dinner to get to know you better, and I wanted to invite you and your father to Thanksgiving Dinner at the Mansion, I assume that Kelly's is closed?"

"I was thinking of running a midnight shift for those idiots going out shopping as the dawn breaks, but it won't be Dad or I on shift no. "

"And you are not going back to the Bronx for the Holiday?"

"No" said Rovena "Not this year."

"So, the please you and Nini must join us. With or without Jason."

Rovena nodded. "Yes. And I can speak for my father, we would be honored. What can we bring?"

Monica laughed. "Please nothing, Cook will have a fit. Bad enough Olivia keeps making lasagna. "

"Well we will bring a bottle of Raki and Jason of course."

"Do not bet on Jason. He normally has Thanksgiving Dinner with Sonny and Carly."

"Not this year." Snapped Rovena

Monica nodded. And then said slowly. "I need to talk to you about something else."

"Oh?"

"Fatima, you and she are close?"

'We are friends, she is closer with Soumia and Nisida but yes we are friends, why?" Rovena asked.

"I need your discretion at least until Thanksgiving but we have very good reasons to believe that she, while she does not know it, mind you, is Sage Alcazar."

"Who?"

Carly Corinthos stood at the entrance way to Luke's club and felt the bile in her mouth. She had come here to avoid those who were annoying her and yet this place was packed with people she despised.

Monica sat having dinner with Rovena. Why on God's green earth would Monica want anything to do with that woman? She was so Basic. Carly started towards the bar and then saw Annie Donnelly chatting with Ethan. Carly wanted nothing to do with that bully. Was there no place for her to find peace?

She turned to leave and then saw Jax out of the corner of her eye, having dinner with someone. Carly looked again Terry Randolph. Carly shook her head and walked over.

"Jax" She said as she reached the table. She looked at Terry and nodded. "Dr. Randolph."

"Carly" Jax said. "Is Joss Okay?"

"Yes, she is with Bobbie. Can I err…talk to you for a moment?"

"I'm having dinner Carly." Jax said.

"Please?"

Jax sighed. Terry smiled and said. "Here take my seat, I am going to go powder my nose, that will give you guys a minute."

Jax smiled. "Powder your nose?"

Terry laughed. "It just sounds so much classier then use the toilet."

Jax stood up as Terry pushed her seat back and walked away. Carly watched to see which restroom she went to.

Carly sat quickly in Terry's chair. "I won't take long, I just thought as a friend I should tip you off."

"Tip me off to what Carly?" Jax said annoyed.

"She's a man."

Sonny Corinthos got up and poured himself a drink. He stifled the urge to asks the ghosts in the room if they wanted one as well.

"Sonny" Lilly repeated. "What are you doing."

"What you and our son asked. I am seeking redemption."

Karen burst out laughing. "By killing a business rival, by bribery and extortion to get construction contracts and by running offshore porn web sites?"

She nearly doubled over with laughter. "Great path to redemption Sonny."

Sonny laughed. "It is the only path. "

Emily's eyes widened. "By using Jason?"

Sonny nodded. "Until Jason came on board, I was just a small time hood. Once I recruited him, my business began to grow. The more I led Jason to the dark side the more successful I became. Jason held my empire for me against every attack that was leveled at it. He saved me and my family and my business dozens of times."

"And?" Emily asked.

"And if I can push him out of the darkness, if I can make this go at a better life, a legal life that he is looking to build work. If I can help him not get dragged where I always drag him. If I can stop myself from pulling him down to my level this time, then he gets redemption."

"This was never about Jason's redemption though Sonny" Lilly said.

"Jason only needs redemption because of you Sonny" Snapped Karen.

Claudia as always said nothing just looked at him with her broken jaw.

"Sonny?" Emily said.

Sonny downed his drink and walked to the sliding doors looking out at the back of his property.

He spoke softly and slowly. "If Jason makes it out. I have a chance. He will never leave me. He will reach back and pull me out of the darkness. He will save me as he always has. Because God help me, I can't save myself."

Ava had paced across Soumia and Lucky's living room a dozen times while Robert and Anna filled the pair in on Happy Valley.

"So are they in danger from the base there" Soumia said.

Robert Shrugged. "Hundreds of campers go through there every year. Most encounter nothing. A few claim they have seen ghost. There is no reason to think that Maxie and the rest will not be just fine."

"Except Sam's whole reason to be out there is to snoop around trying to find clues to this painting. Except that Maxie is looking for dark and mysterious spots to hold the next Deception shoot" Snapped Ava.

Robert patted her hand. "I understand luv."

"Then why are we sitting around talking we need to get out there."

Anna wrinkled her nose. "It is nearly ten, there is very little chance that they will snoop around tonight. And sending a team out there in the dark to try to find them would just put that team in danger."

"Have we called them?" Soumia asked.

"Dead zone" said Anna.

Lucky nodded. "We can leave at first light and check in on them"

"Don't; check tell Sam it is not worth it and bring them home" said Ava more concerned then she had been prepared to be.

"Okay fine" said Lucky. He turned to Soumia "You up for a camping trip?"

"Sure."

Anna and Robert stood up. Robert put his arm around Ava's waist. "it will be fine luv. I promise."

Ava sighed. "If I had my way, we would all go right now."

"And stumble around in the words all night?" Anna said. "No let Lucky and Soumia head out tomorrow. I am sure the foursome are fine.

The man from the underground cavern moved quickly about the camp site. The crackling fire was dying out. He gathered up back packs and began to take down the tents. As the last ember of the fire burned out, he looked around at the camp site.

There was no one there.


End file.
